Pneumatic tire.



H. E. ARMSTRONG.

PNEUMATIG TIRE.

` ,1912. 1,109,101. y Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

HASKELL R. ARMSTRONG, OF-PEQRIA, ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC TIRE.

LMNBOL v Specification of Letters Patent. Application iled July 2, 1912. Serial N o. 707,352.

Patented Sept. 1, 191e.

T0 all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, HAsKELL R. ARM- STRONG, citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the County of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Tires; and I do hereby declare that the i'ollowing is, a full, clear, and exact-.description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make. and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in pneumatic tires. l

One ofthe objects `of the ivention is to locate the air-tube in a pne lmatic tire at such a distance from the tread portion that it'will be practically safe from injury from sharp. objects on the road.

Another obj ect is to include with the tread ofa tire, 'as ordinarily constructed, an innerl annular intev ral portion of relatively softer rubber than that of which said tread is made tov ac-t both as a means of obtaining resiliency-together with the air tube, and to serve as a protector for the latter.

Another object is to include in a pneu.

matic tire a pair of annular portions preferably made integral with the tread and of vrelatively softer rubberthan said tread and including'also an annular air-space separate from that containing the air tube, said air space lyingbetween the two soft annular portions as well and a wall which separates that air space from the air space containing the air tube.

Other objects and advantages will appearv inthe following speeiica-tion aided .by the accompanying drawing' in which;

Figure l is a cross section of my improved tire, and Fig. 2 is also a cross section of'the ytire showing Isubstantially the relation of the parts when under pressure. `It has been the aim, heretofore, to provide a structure. in a pneumatic tire that will be practically proof against puncturing without destroying the resiliency and this also is my purpose but which I do in a diiferent manner and which Ibelieve to be new.

The air-tube is located a very considerable distance from the tread side of the tire and 'pv t and infact that dlsance. as .shown herein,

interposed between said tread and the tube even apparently thoroughly protected tires cannot reach as between said portionsv and puncture the air tube due.

to the distance between the tread and the latter. This is done without increasing the diameter of the tire but by reducing the size of the'air tube so that when inflated it will be smaller than the ordinary tube of the same sized tire so as to provide room for the parts about to-be described. Between said tube and the tread are interposed a pair of members of. relatively softer rubber than that ofwhichfthe tread is composed, said members being incorporated with the rubber of the tread and formed integrally therewith. These in being of soft rubber yield .under pressure and aid in impar-ting the desired resiliency, aided by the air tube itself upon which the weight is finally -imposed through said members.

1 E is the wheel rim.

A represents the shoe or tire made up of the usual rubber and fabric the exact construction ot' which is not material. Onthe inner tread side of thetire are two annular portions Bcf soft rubber or rubber relatively.- softer than that of which the tread is made extending around the tire and which are "preferably constructed integrally with said tread as alreadv stated. Inward from these said parts and spaced slightly therefrom is a wall C which is an integral part of the tire. lThis extends across the inner space of the tire andv divides it into v'two parts in the largest of which are the soft annular parts B B described, the otherpart or space receiving the air tubeindioated at D. The inflation of the tube l) naturallyA distends the wall C somewhat so thaty it Ytakes substantially theform vsli'own in Fig. .1. Between the portionsor members B,

and between the said portions 'or members and the wall C islthe air space B B? the air in which will be naturally compressed due to the inflation and the distention of the air tubeD and due also to the fact that there is no outlet for air from said space and the expansion or distention of the air tube causes more or less compression-.of the air in said space which acts as a4 cushion.

It is observed that the distance from 'theair tube toy the tread is considerable-as com- 'ared with tires as ordinarilyconstructed whichgis the lfull sizeof onejof the: small least "imo iiacliessor more .in-length order. 11e" to `pierce the entire structure and reach the air tube. bjeetse` that length,y however, are seldom piclredup 7 so that under 0rdiary circumstances the chances of puncturing the. 'air tube are Very slight indeed. When under pressure upon the road the relation ot' the parts of the tire are about as shown in Fig.' 2 but the real form taken, of course, depends upon the pressure carried in the'air tube D and. upon the WeightJ ini posedupon the tire or, in the event of striking an obstacle, the force With which.

the tire meets the obstacle. The air coin- Vpressed in the space B' B2 by the closing togethe" of the parte B B assists, together with the soft rubber of the parts B B, in providing resiliency together'with the air tube D upon which the latter and the Wall C bear. I'lhe soft rubber-parts together with the air :.n the space in which these parts lie, and together with the air tube D adord the required resiliency or a resiliency substantially equal to that t'ound in a tire having the full sized air tube as usually employed. fnd the advantage is that the chances punctur the air. tube are very remote on account of the considerable distance of said tuoe from the tread and from the fact that the soft rubber parte are not easily penetrated: L point of con- "-1 the introduci inner tire space ich greatly aids in preof the Walls of 'said tire *"e will beprotccted ``urt`nermo3e the air tube Y cause bloweouts since the'said Wall C .es the Walls o? th ire together as before stal-cd, and also because a tie is created w". venting spreadingat the ring. i y against lrim e ten l i( cai w to place great pressure upon those parte of the tire WhereV blV f-outs usually occur. An additional advantage in providing the thiclr portions il l5 is that in case some serious damage to the airftube rendering it incapable of hi'lding air the Wheel 'will be supported upon ,said portions B B, which together with the Wall C, will become seated in the baseerl the tire and hold the rim oli' of the ground and prevent it cuttino` the tire when the latter travels in a denated condition. l am aware oi the .fact thats Variety of tires have been designed from time to time some involving cushion structures only 'and others combining both cushion and pneumatic features. My structure is likewise a cou'ibination of parte forming a cushion, togetherfwith an ruction are dierent from those rei dv to in that first the parts are 'few consequently producing tire th t is simple,

' "l L comie 'to ini luracture "rt, and it is disom them by 1 fact that it is aai both in use and as rewards the said tube does not lie suon :i positionY tube but the details osucesor its manufacture.. ln some of the tires referred' tolarge cushions are furnished by spaces filled with air under atmospheric pressure. The. .Walls surrounding thea air spaces are so 'extensive or have such large areas that the air in tine will be forced .through said Wall due to the Weight of the vehicle supported by the tire resulting eventually in a permanently collapsed useless tire, it being lWell known that air under presssure Will escape in the manner described.

- `My device does not include such a large air space that the lossof air therefrom even if such could occur, would greatly affect the weight supporting ability of the tire. Becauseof the small amount of air inclosed and the exceedingly small area of the three Iexposed points the loss of air is practically impossible. That is to say, the small volume of air contained in the spaces B B2, which is not placed under great compression because of its small Volume, will not be readily lost through the exposed limits of the spaces at the sides and tread of the tire. in the event that such loss did occur the short distance the parts B would travel to rest upon the partition or Wall. C would' not aiiect the form of the tire. Thus the tire in practice is thoroughly dependable. The shoe is severed along its base so that the air tube may be readily inserted or removed.'

The inated tube in extending across prac-iv tically the Jfull Width oi the tire supports the members B at their bases which in turn ext-end across practically the full Width of the tire thus making anrideal weightsupporting medium and combining the 'required resiliency therewith. Y Contrary to other tire structures the members B, when placed under Weight, upon being forced upon' the air-supported partition or Wall, are first compressed and then made to come together to support extreme Weight The structure will support a light load Without the members meeting, merely resting upon the said partition or Wall, then the extreme load brings about the conditions described, and shown in Fig. 2. Thus the tire can readily adapt itself to iarying loads. 4

Having thus described my invention, claim A tire comprising. a .shoe or'casing severed along its inner side or base, a dividing partition or Wall lying perpendicular to the plane or" the tire and connecting the sides of the latter and dividing it into two compartments, an inner and an outer, the. former adapted for receiving an air tube, and a pair of spaced members of relatively softer-mate rial than that composing the shoe o r casing and lying within the outer compartmentend exteudinlv longitudinally of and being integral 'with the inner side of the tread portion Aof the shoe and adapted when Weight is imposed thereon to beer upon the said dividing partition and 'to increase in lateral measure- ',I mentdue to their Compressihility.

2. 'A tire comprising a, shoe or easing sev- `ered elongits inner side or base, a. dividing partition or Wall lying perpendicular to the.

plane of the tire and connecting the vsides of the latter and dividing it into two compartments,en inner and an outer, the former adapted for receiving aneir tube, and a pair of spaced members of relatively softer meterial than that composing the shoe or Casing and lylng Within the' outer' compartment and extending longitudinally of and being ,integral With the inner side 'of the tread In testimony whereof I aiix my signature, lin presence of two Witnesses.

HASKELL R. ARMSTRONG. Vitnesses:

W. I. SLnMMoNs, L. M. THURLOW. 

